Update

Thanksgiving was nice this year. Even though it was our first Thanksgiving without "G-G a.k.a grandma a.k.a Ruth Morton a.k.a shorty(this one was ours)," it went well for the most part. Every person seemed to have a positive vibe. Dinner was good but I did have a bit of a time eating... seems like I got a case of Strep. LOL! didn't matter... I wasn't going to overeat anyway. My daughter told me I was getting jiggly. WHAT! THE! %$@&! I've never been jiggly no matter how heavy I've been. Gotta start fixing it before it gets too far and my body betta keep up. That's it...NO MORE SETBACKS, NO MORE DR.'S ORDERS TO NOT WORKOUT, NO BOTHER WITH UNCOOPERATIVE ACHILLES TENDON AND GET BACK TO A P90X, JILLIAN MICHAELS workout CONDITION. I can't have Victoria or any other brand I wear screaming at me...V-I-C-T-Oooo-R-I-Aaaaaa lol.

There was an incident though Thanksgiving evening that did tick me, my husband and a few others off. Here is the condensed version. The kids, all cousins from age 2-16, were playing/ watching t.v. in a room. One of them got upset with my son and decided to find a pair of scissors come back and throw it at him. She missed him but just missed my daughter and my two nephews. NOW, you know I wanted to take of my belt and give a good ass old school Jamaican beat down... when I found out about it. Anyway, I gonna end that story here. This site is to inform you about my condition and treatments. BUT! :) If you want you can e mail or I.M. me for the story as I have it.


Radiation hiatus is over

Well today I went back to radiation therapy. Sierra had to come with me since she was a bit ill for school. With it being a bit cold and rainy and having a sick child with me, I was absolutely happy to find an available spot up front dedicated to radiation patients. My first time taking advantage of these spots. :D C waited in the front with the receptionist while I went to the back for treatment. Nothing changed really but I've been noticing my underarm getting tender... sore like I guess. It almost feels like with stretching my skin is tearing. When the team was getting my situated on the machine I mentioned it to them. They said it's normal and most likely will get worse and migrate to the breast. Their best advise... keep the area(s) dry and sleep with my arm up for air. LOL! It hurts to put it up but it'll get done. Shoot! If I'm going to workout the way I intend to I better be able to put that arm up. LOL!


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Thanksgiving Day

WOW! Last year this time I had a cast plastered to my right leg... this year I'm thankful to have beaten Cancer. :) Despite all the obstacles and challenges of the year I'm could never have made it so smoothly without my family, friends, care teams, and supporters. I love you all! I'm thankful for all of you and wish each and every one of you the BEST holiday season ever!

You know our time here is not promised to us. When cancer was thrown at me I realized many things. 1. I had to fight for what was mine (life) for now. I'm thankful for pulling through. 2. I have some really great friends. Even though communication with some have been next to null, they really came though when I needed them. I'm thankful having such bonds. 3. There was some; still a few incomplete; unfinished business I had with some people. I'm thankful for those resolved and look forward to resolving with others.

There are other things I'm thankful for but just wanted to put those out there. So you too can recognize unresolved issues that may be plaguing you. Make it right with family and friends.

Peace and blessings,

Mel

p.s. I didn't have to cook for today. :)) That hasn't happened in a long time.

What's Happening Now 2

Week 2 of radiation is complete. This Tuesday though, they took additional pics to make sure everything was still the same or better. Some small adjustments were made since I HAD lost a few pounds. UGH! I think I've gotten them back now though. LOL! After treatment, I took the pics to my doctor right upstairs. There he did another quick exam and I was finally out.

Friday

Again, after radiation I had to go see my other doctor... my oncologist this time. We went over my pathology reports again and he too was just as please as my surgeon with the results. Yea, I know... I got quiet a few doctors... just for now. He had said a while ago that I could take a break from my Herceptin but I decided to go ahead and keep it just about on track and did my infusion. I forgot how wiped out I feel after this one. WOW! So I just went home to bed.

Saturday

Went in to radiation 6 times this week. They didn't want us;me and the other patients; to fall too far behind on treatments due to the holidays, so they had us come in on Saturday. Nooo biggie! I will say though, I found out I was a favorite of one of the other ladies. Got no idea what makes me her favorite but I am she says. Maybe it's our common vanity. LOL! I don't know.

My Changes

Needless to say, I have experienced some changes in my body during this whole ordeal. The left side of "the team" is smaller and darker than the other. It also feels like a pregnant belly. lol. I kid you not! The lower side of it is just like feeling a firmness of a baby's back and the upper side is like where the limbs would be... softer and have some give to it. LOL! I hope that wasn't too much information for you all. Let's top it off... How about Penelope showed up again! I was so not looking for "it" anytime soon but "it" showed up. I surely enjoyed it during "it's" hiatus.

First Week of Radiation

Got a new team of caretakers now. They are the radiation oncology front office, tech's,and nurses at Dekalb. I met the team on Monday when I was called in to have some pics taken. This session went pretty simple... but of course the usual process first. Take off everything from the waist up and put on a REAL hospital gown. I'm then escorted to a room where my body mold is going to be made, I get lined-up,marked, and stickered for radiation. Yup I got stickers on me... and they're supposed to stay put for the the next :) 40-50 days. lol. ok.

I had my first treatment the very next morning. It went fine. I'm going to sum the entire week with the same thing. It went fine.... You do the same thing everyday. :l

New Stuff

New care givers, new office, new Dr., and new patients (friends). There are a group of other ladies that seem to be regulars here with me. Though we've been cordial with each other we really didn't make conversation until Thursday; my third day of radiation. We all had to wait for the computer system to be repaired.

The actual machine was fine but the backup systems weren't responding to each other.... OK., fine, just as long as that's so and I don't get fried.

Our conversation ended up on our obvious link... Cancer! This may sound weird but it was nice to actually talk to others that shared my condition. Yea, I know I'm not alone but I never really got to talk to anyone ...like me. I won't bore you with the details but I will say,... it felt great being among like kinds. :-)


Wednesday

While waiting our turn for radiation, the ladies and I discussed our hair loss. Don't forget, initially loosing my hair was very hard for me. Now, I'm just used to it. It's also easier now to accept it since my hair is growing back. :-) I'm kinda liking it a little. It looks like fine baby hair... with a few and I do mean a few grays. :D Remember back in the day when all the girls wanted to comb down that fine hair in front of their hair line; some of em even jacked it up with gel; well I got a full head of that. Sorrieee! I got a bit off track from the hair loss discussion. Each of us told our horror story of this retched side effect from chemo. One lady lost nothing, the others were like me, but one shared a similar vanity. She considered herself ugly and alien like without any facial hair; eye brows and lashes. Don't judge us people! It IS hard looking at yourself like that. It's does seem so simple but ... it, it just ain't. Anyway, before I was called to the radiation room, I did something that I had only done for my immediate family. Apprehension started to grab a hold of me but I persevered and removed my wig, revealing my new hair. They loved it; thought it was cute; thought I was cute. I... felt... somewhat... stronger? about it. Like,.. yea... this is me and you can accept what you see... or not!... and it not have a negative impact on me. :) What a moment.


Please be active about your monthly breast exam, it could save your life.

Oh! I did put my wig back on and carried on though my day. Hopefully one day soon I'll be ready to walk around everywhere with my "new super short hair."

Quicky with the Surgeon

Nothing funny here, this really was just a run in to see the surgeon and leave. I didn't have an appointment so I had to wait a bit this time. UGH! Today this kids are with me; schools are closed for Election Day. The nurse offered to put something on for them while I went to the back. "Great" I said cause CNN is not going to keep their attention. LOL!

Patient Room

You guys have been here so many times with me so I know you know the first the to go down. LOL! Yup, take off everything up top and put on the paper shirt. :)

Waiting, Waiting, waiting, waiting. so I went ahead and whipped out my Droid... played some games, looked at FB, checked some profiles, read e-mails, and even made a call. I wasn't going to be able to make it to my 2:30 class. The nurse stuck her head in to reassure me the kids were fine and the doctor was on her way. No Problem.


Finally she comes in apologetic for the delay. It was really no biggie to me other than missing my class. The nurse preps the needles, betadine, syringe, and bandage, and the doc does a quick exam of the fluid build up. She does a brainstorm of how often it seems I need to be drained, then start on me about exercising. For the first time in my life I've had a doctor require me to STOP working out. For some this would be a no big deal but for me it was. Since the ruptured Achilles last year to now, I've had to drastically reduce my workout and training regiment. Now, I have to stop completely. Outstanding! :( Well, at least it's temporary; just until my lymphatic system clamps back down.

As she's working I asked her about her response to my pathology. She confirmed that my results are highly unusual... NOT due to the fact that there was a second cancer present but the cells for both cancers were dead. "That is not something we see at all, that is unusual but amazing just the same. Guess the combination of drugs selected for you were the the best and did what they are to do. And you have such a positive attitude that helped you achieve such results....." I told her I thought it could be attributed to the Kangen water. She didn't knock it. Long story short, she would need the science behind it. :-) If anything more than that comes of that I'll let you know.

Simulation Day

Monday morning I decided to just go ahead in to surgeons office to get one of the doctors to drain this fluid from me...again. Just as I'm approaching the hospital I got a call from the hospital. They have a generic 770-501 number that makes it easy to identify them. It was the Radiation Oncology dept. wanting to confirm my apt for later in the afternoon. WAIT! WHAT! "I thought it was for tomorrow." ugh! now I had to change my entire day to adjust for my mistake. Too many appointments to keep up with I guess.

My 2 O'clock Similation

First I had to go upstairs to now see my Radiation Oncologist. Yup, I had to do the routine.... you guys should know it well by now as well. Take of everything from the waist up and put on the paper shirt/ gown. :) All he did was make some marks with some specialized pen for the techs downstairs to follow. That was simple. Now, to get dressed and head back downstairs to meet my meet my new team of caregivers.


Radiation Dept.

The receptionist is a really nice sista. We had a short but nice conversation before the tech came to get me. In the back I had to repeat the procedure. LOL! undress from the waist up... BUT this time I got a cloth gown. :D

The tech escorts me to room. This one reminds me of when I had my PET scan done. Don't think I blogged about it but the machine looks like a huge donought. Unlike the Pet Scan, this machine is a bit shorter in length. Anyway, the purpose of this visit is to make an upper body mold for me that will be used for the next 33-36 visits with them. The tech mixes a concoction for the mold, lays it on the machine where I would lay, and positions me on top of it. I'm guessing this part took about 20-30 minutes; not sure. She takes some scans, makes more marks on my chest and side, then we're done.


After all that I ran back upstairs to see my surgeon the get this fluid taken out. Unfortunate for me, she was still in surgery and wouldn't be able to do it. Come in tomorrow the nurse said, she's in the office. Surely!